L's top food picks that you don't really need but gotta try!

In Korea, food is one of the best ways to make friends. You know what they say, the best way to win one's heart is through their stomache! Through the good amount of time I've spent here, I realized i have acculmulated a list of places or things you GOT to try, and who knows -  the following I suggested might be your next favorite spot! 

Tteokbokki

Yes, this is one a classic dish that most of you have at least heard of or tried, but the Tteokbokki in Korea is quite different than the ones I've had before (and frankly the more superior version). For those who is not familiar with the dish, Tteokbokki is a classic street food offered in Korea. The dish consists of cylindrical rice cakes, 떡 tteok, cooked in this spicy broth with other ingredients like fish cakes, seafood, sausages, you name it. The spice level varies quite a bit and it's very adjustable to your taste if you order it in a restaurant. Personally, I prefer the ones you can get at a street stall, where the cook puts it in a nice little bag and you can take it wiht you to enjoy back at the dorms after a tiring day. The tteokbooki restaurant my lovely seoulmate took me to is in Sinchon, the nearest downtown area from Yonsei. It's the perfect comfort food one can enjoy with companions or alone! And if you're not too familiar with Korean food, this is a good one to begin with!

Pasta

Now why in the world I would recommend pasta in Korea? Well...one thing that surprised me the most is the robust pasta culture here! Despite the appearance, it taste VERY VERY different from any western pasta. One thing I'm always curious about is Korea's perception of Western food, and a classier way to experience this besides going to McDonalds or TacoBell is to enjoy a nice pasta dish in restaurants. If you don't know, most of the food here, savory or not, has a hint of sweetness to it. So if you're not use to this type of food, well....all I can say is good luck! But back to the topic - you can find two well-known pasta restaurants at affordable price in Sinchon, called Rolling Pasta and Isseokdeok. Between the two, I prefer Isseodeok, since they make their pastas fresh daily. Also a quick note about this particular restaurant: It's VERY busy, so I suggest going on a weekday for lunch in order to snatch a seat there. Generally, there are pasta restaurants EVERYWHERE, so you shouldn't have any trouble finding it on Kakaomaps or Navermaps.

ShabuShabu

Hoenstly, I've never thought I'd be able to have hotpot, malatang (will talk about this later), or even shabushabu in Korea. But this cuisine is enjoyed by many locals here! To distinguish, Shabushabu is Japanese style hotpot, so the experience, although similar, is a bit different from Chinese hotpot. My friends and I went to Iksadong a while back, and we impulsively went to a Shabushabu restaurant. Lemme just say....it was SUCH a vibe! THe view inside the restaurant is beautiful, and the piano music with the waterfall decor made the overall feel of the palce very tranquil. As for the food, we just ordered a platter to share. The food cae raw, but the whole purpose of Shabushabu is to cook the food yourself. There's a burner to keep the broth boiling and you take whatever you intend on eating and cook it the flavorful broth! And there's a variety of choices in what kind of broth you'd like too! The downside to our experience is that it did get a bit pricey, probably one of the pricest meals I've had here so far. But definitely go at least once for the experience!

Malatang

As an avid spice lover, Malatang is a MUST TRY in Seoul! Similar to the last dish, this is also very popular amongst the locals (one of the the friends I've met here actually recommened me to try it). In a typial malatang restaurant, you go to your fresh produce shelves and pick ou what you'd like to eat. The price is measured by weight, and there's usually a starting price around 9,000 -10,000 won. Funny story actually, this dish helped jump start my search for spicy food in Seoul. Previously, the Malatang restuarant I went to was not spicy at all, so I went the one in the picture. It's in Sinchon, called Rahwakungbu (spelled like this on Naver), and this is where I met my match. I went in and order the dish on their spiciest level. Generally, my tastebuds enjoyed the experience immensely. On the flipside though, my stomache didn't. After I left the restaurant, I realize I've made a great mistake. My stomache was hurting so badly that I was squatting along the street every 5 minutes on my walk back. To give further context, it was like 4pm, so to every passerby I looked like a very drunk daydrinker (is this term even a thing?) who clearly needs help. So if you want to take on the spicy challenge like me, I suggest the spicest level. On another note, this restaurant have some of the best chinese food in Sinchon for a great price compared to the other ones around the area. Despite my previous spice experience, this became one of my go-to spots for a delicious but affordable meal. And don't worry, their other dishes are not really spicy, and their Malatang 's spice level is very customizable, just don't do it like me.

So that's it for now! I will definitely make another food list soon since there's more places that I've been to. Overall, don't be afraid to try things you haven't tried before; get out of your comfort bubble and who knows - you might find your next favorite dish here!